Describing the Women's Reservation Bill as a "giant step" towards the empowerment of women, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said in the Rajya Sabha that the measure was not anti-minority and anti-scheduled caste and scheduled tribe.

Singh also expressed "profound apology" to Chairman Hamid Ansari for disrespect shown to the chair by members in the house over the past two days.

"On behalf of the government I owe you a profound apology," Singh said to Ansari while intervening in the debate over the landmark constitution amendment bill that provides for 33 percent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

He also stressed the need to "reflect" how to ensure that such incidents do not recur and the house functions smoothly.

The opposition parties, the BJP and the Left, unequivocally supported the bill describing it as "the most progressive" but slammed the government for mishandling the process of "historic" amendment to the constitution.